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Re: S510, De-Cocking, Magazine, etc.

Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 7:36 am
by TenMetrePeter
Roger5 wrote:Or you could use a cleaning rod down the barrel, cock the rifle, pop the pellet out, and decock, all nice and safe again, :D Rog

In the circumstances the best option!
At the club we keep a length of 4mm glass fibre reinforced plastic rod from the DIY store for the frequent pellet jams on our old guns.

Re: S510, De-Cocking, Magazine, etc.

Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 7:40 am
by Roger5
I like that :) Rog

Re: S510, De-Cocking, Magazine, etc.

Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 1:38 pm
by Mtl_Biker
Roger and Peter... Great idea about the cleaning rod!

Now the challenge is to find one! Believe it or not, I've just spent 10 minutes Google searching for fiberglass rods and other than for an industrial supplier (who don't sell retail and won't sell just ONE rod) I couldn't locate a source here in Canada. Wood dowels no problem, but plastic or fiberglass no go. In the US there are lots of sources, including Amazon.com, who has 1/8" x 4' fiberglass rods for between $5-10 each. Amazon.ca (Canada) is quoting $30 EACH (for 3/16" x 4'), plus $10 shipping!!!! Geez!

What are your thoughts on wooden dowels? I can get those locally (1/8" or 3/16") for about $0.75 each. They may break or be warped, but I doubt they'd scratch the rifling in the barrel. May be even softer on the barrel than much more rigid fiberglass? And for that low price I could get a dozen of them.

Re: S510, De-Cocking, Magazine, etc.

Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 3:21 pm
by TenMetrePeter
Wood should be ok just to pop out a pellet. Or brass or aluminium (aluminum!).
In England we have these quaint net curtains that are held up by plastic coated spring wires that make good bore clearers that can be rolled up and kept in the gun case.
Also some golf umbrella ribs are made from glass fibre rods. (I rummage in trash bins)

Re: S510, De-Cocking, Magazine, etc.

Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 3:38 pm
by gdavison
Mtl_Biker wrote:Roger and Peter... Great idea about the cleaning rod!

Now the challenge is to find one! Believe it or not, I've just spent 10 minutes Google searching for fiberglass rods and other than for an industrial supplier (who don't sell retail and won't sell just ONE rod) I couldn't locate a source here in Canada. Wood dowels no problem, but plastic or fiberglass no go. In the US there are lots of sources, including Amazon.com, who has 1/8" x 4' fiberglass rods for between $5-10 each. Amazon.ca (Canada) is quoting $30 EACH (for 3/16" x 4'), plus $10 shipping!!!! Geez!

What are your thoughts on wooden dowels? I can get those locally (1/8" or 3/16") for about $0.75 each. They may break or be warped, but I doubt they'd scratch the rifling in the barrel. May be even softer on the barrel than much more rigid fiberglass? And for that low price I could get a dozen of them.


another alternative is strimmer nylon https://www.stihlusa.com/products/trimmers-and-brushcutters/trimmer-line/comrndline/

4mm should fit a .177 barrel

Re: S510, De-Cocking, Magazine, etc.

Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 4:04 pm
by Mtl_Biker
gdavison wrote:another alternative is strimmer nylon https://www.stihlusa.com/products/trimmers-and-brushcutters/trimmer-line/comrndline/

4mm should fit a .177 barrel


Thanks for the suggestion.

I use that stuff in both my match rifle and pistol to show that there's no pellet loaded when at the club or at competitions. It wouldn't work in this case though because it's too flexible and always has a bend to it. Works fine in an unimpeded barrel, but on my AA S400 MPR FT, S510 and CZ200, it won't work because I cannot feed it into the barrel. I usually use doubled up fishing line when cleaning the barrels and I push it into the barrel from the front to the breech and then loop a cotton cleaning patch and pull it through. I cannot get the line into the barrel of these guns without using a thin drinking straw to guide it in for the first 4 inches or so. And it's even difficult to get the straw started into the actual barrel. The trimmer line wouldn't work unless it was perfectly straight and I'd be able to guide it in. Having any bit of curl in the line would make it impossible.

I'm going to buy some 1/8" wooden dowels today and will keep one in each rifle case. Just in case. And I'll keep my eyes open for fiberglass rods.

Cheers!

Re: S510, De-Cocking, Magazine, etc.

Posted: Tue May 02, 2017 12:51 pm
by Phil B
Mtl_Biker wrote:
gdavison wrote:Like others i would never leave it with "one up the spout" .. IMO has to be fired off to save any future confusion .. if you are willing to take your pest control shots .. just put a soft target out on "your range" and when done if still cocked .. take the shot


The reason I wouldn't want to take the shot is noise. It would mean a neighbour night be out on his property and with an un-silenced Xtra FAC gun, especially now before the trees get their (sound muffling) leaves back. And I just don't want to risk giving them any concern.

But I too don't like the idea of leaving a pellet loaded in the gun. But de-cocked, safety on, no magazine installed and considering that I live alone, well, I think it's fairly safe. Plus making sure that the next magazine I insert has the appropriate empty chamber to prevent the possibility of loading double pellets. Not a big risk I think.

If you had cocked to fire at vermin surely the noise of firing at dummy would be the same - or am I being a dummy?

Re: S510, De-Cocking, Magazine, etc.

Posted: Tue May 02, 2017 1:51 pm
by Mtl_Biker
Phil B wrote:If you had cocked to fire at vermin surely the noise of firing at dummy would be the same - or am I being a dummy?


No, you're not being a dummy. :)

There would be two possible reasons I don't take a shot... either the vermin has suddenly run away, or neighbours have come out on the adjacent property and I'm concerned about giving them any worry if they hear a shot. It's not a safety concern as my property is right on the river and I shoot out towards the river. It's only a question of noise. Especially now before the trees get their noise-suppressing leaves back.

Re: S510, De-Cocking, Magazine, etc.

Posted: Tue May 02, 2017 5:09 pm
by Blackbaronfish
I have the 410 extra(fac) and would never leave one in the spout :o . A rolled up pair of jeans with the muzzle against it will not make hardly a fart.

BBF

Re: S510, De-Cocking, Magazine, etc.

Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 8:58 pm
by Mtl_Biker
Blackbaronfish wrote:I have the 410 extra(fac) and would never leave one in the spout :o . A rolled up pair of jeans with the muzzle against it will not make hardly a fart.

BBF


Yeah, but I'd hate to ruin a perfectly good pair of jeans! And I'm too old to appreciate the current fashion of wearing jeans with holes in them (people even PAY more money for such jeans!!!).

In any case, I've now got a length of wooden dowel which fits the barrel easily (without damaging it) to allow me to dislodge a pellet if need be.